Biomimetic Design and Fabrication of Interior Architecture of Tissue Scaffolds Using Solid Freeform Fabrication

Modeling, design and fabrication of tissue scaffolds with intricate architecture, porosity and pore size for desired tissue properties presents a challenge in tissue engineering. This paper will present the details of our development in designing and fabrication of the interior architecture of scaffolds using a novel design approach. The Interior Architecture Design (IAD) approach seeks to generate scaffold layered freeform fabrication tool path without forming complicated 3D CAD scaffold models. This involves: applying the principle of layered manufacturing to determine the scaffold individual layered process planes and layered contour; defining the 2D characteristic patterns of the scaffold building blocks (unit cells) to form the Interior Scaffold Pattern; and the generation of process tool path for freeform fabrication of these scaffolds with the specified interior architecture. Feasibility studies applying the IAD algorithm to example models and the generation of fabrication planning instructions will be presented.Mechanical Engineerin

Simultaneous space charge and conduction current measurements in solid dielectrics under high dc electric field

The importance of space charge in solid dielectrics has been recognized for many years and various attempts have been made to map the distribution and assess its influence on the electrical performance of solid dielectrics. Significant development in non-destructive measurement techniques emerged two decades ago. Crosslinked polyethylene (XLPE) has been used for ac power cable insulation up to 500 kV for many years. There is a tendency to use XLPE for dc power cable. However, the easy formation of space charge under dc electric field within XLPE is a major concern for such an application. Space charge in insulation can distort electric field distribution, causing electric field increase in one region and reduction in another. The electric field enhancement could lead to degradation and result in premature failure. Electrical treeing in solid dielectrics is a typical example of local field enhancement due to space charge accumulation. In this report several popular non-destructive techniques are briefly reviewed. This is followed by detailed description of a modified pulsed electroacoustic (PEA) technique that allows simultaneous measurement of space charge and conduction current in a solid dielectric subjected to high dc electric fields. Finally, we report the relationship between space charge dynamics and electrical conduction current in XLPE using the modified PEA system. The effect of electrode material on both charge dynamics and current has been investigated using semiconducting material and aluminium. It has been found charge dynamics in the material depend on electrode configuration. More importantly, it has been noticed that the so called space charge limited transient current peaks are closely related to the meetings of negative and positive charge front in the bulk of the sample

Binding of Oppositely Charged Membranes and Membrane Reorganization

We consider the electrostatic interaction between two rigid membranes, with different surface charge densities of opposite sign, across an aqueous solution without added salt. Exact solutions to the nonlinear Poisson-Boltzmann equation are obtained and their physical meaning discussed. We also calculate the electrostatic contribution to the free energy and discuss the renormalization of the area per head group of the charged lipids arising from the Coulomb interaction.Comment: 13 pages, 6 figures, to be published in EJP

Action and Energy of the Gravitational Field

We present a detailed examination of the variational principle for metric general relativity as applied to a ``quasilocal'' spacetime region \M (that is, a region that is both spatially and temporally bounded). Our analysis relies on the Hamiltonian formulation of general relativity, and thereby assumes a foliation of \M into spacelike hypersurfaces $\Sigma$. We allow for near complete generality in the choice of foliation. Using a field--theoretic generalization of Hamilton--Jacobi theory, we define the quasilocal stress-energy-momentum of the gravitational field by varying the action with respect to the metric on the boundary \partial\M. The gravitational stress-energy-momentum is defined for a two--surface $B$ spanned by a spacelike hypersurface in spacetime. We examine the behavior of the gravitational stress-energy-momentum under boosts of the spanning hypersurface. The boost relations are derived from the geometrical and invariance properties of the gravitational action and Hamiltonian. Finally, we present several new examples of quasilocal energy--momentum, including a novel discussion of quasilocal energy--momentum in the large-sphere limit towards spatial infinity.Comment: To be published in Annals of Physics. This final version includes two new sections, one giving examples of quasilocal energy and the other containing a discussion of energy at spatial infinity. References have been added to papers by Bose and Dadhich, Anco and Tun

Bayesian nonparametric estimation and consistency of mixed multinomial logit choice models

This paper develops nonparametric estimation for discrete choice models based on the mixed multinomial logit (MMNL) model. It has been shown that MMNL models encompass all discrete choice models derived under the assumption of random utility maximization, subject to the identification of an unknown distribution $G$. Noting the mixture model description of the MMNL, we employ a Bayesian nonparametric approach, using nonparametric priors on the unknown mixing distribution $G$, to estimate choice probabilities. We provide an important theoretical support for the use of the proposed methodology by investigating consistency of the posterior distribution for a general nonparametric prior on the mixing distribution. Consistency is defined according to an $L_1$-type distance on the space of choice probabilities and is achieved by extending to a regression model framework a recent approach to strong consistency based on the summability of square roots of prior probabilities. Moving to estimation, slightly different techniques for non-panel and panel data models are discussed. For practical implementation, we describe efficient and relatively easy-to-use blocked Gibbs sampling procedures. These procedures are based on approximations of the random probability measure by classes of finite stick-breaking processes. A simulation study is also performed to investigate the performance of the proposed methods.Comment: Published in at http://dx.doi.org/10.3150/09-BEJ233 the Bernoulli (http://isi.cbs.nl/bernoulli/) by the International Statistical Institute/Bernoulli Society (http://isi.cbs.nl/BS/bshome.htm